Dear Editor
The Treaty of Lisbon is dead. It has been thoroughly debated, put to the test and was found wanting. It now respectfully needs to be laid to rest and buried.

Brian Cowen has two options!

As Taoiseach and leader of the Irish nation, he can meet with his counterparts in the Council of Europe and make it plain that the treaty is dead and that any further efforts at ratification should cease. He can explain that the people of Ireland are not prepared to be pushed into a Super State of Europe by stealth without proper and open discussion of the implications involved and without a properly thought out and democratically accountable structure of checks and balances in the areas of executive, legislative and judicial powers. He has put it to the people and has no need to take any censure from any of his colleagues.

Angela Merkel spent her six months in the presidency seeking ways to get this treaty ratified without putting it to the people. The French and Dutch governments connived at having the Constitutional Treaty repackaged such that they could sidestep another referendum. The treaty contains opt out clauses for Denmark for the sole purpose of avoiding the need for a referendum. The British government has reneged on the promise of a referendum. If they are not happy, let them put it to their own people first.

Alternatively Mr Cowen can go to Europe as a member of that cosy club of ruling elite and say -'Sorry boys we messed up. Now what can we do to circumvent the vote of the Irish people and still push through our pet project?'

Unfortunately all the vibes indicate that Mr Cowen and the government are going for the second option. The people of Ireland will not forgive him lightly if that is the case.

Yours sincerely,
Luc Desbonnet,
'Oostakker',
Roscam,
Galway

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